“Detox” is a word that is thrown around a LOT in alternative health spheres. With it comes a lot of poppycock about what it means to “detox.” Much like the word “natural,” which means absolutely nothing when found on the label of any food product, “detox” is slapped on pretty much anything people are desperate to sell these days. “Detox celebrity diet!” “Detox cleanse!” “Detox smoothie!” “Detox workout!” Gah! How many people understand what body detoxification actually entails, though? Healing ourselves requires a close communion with our one true possession in life: our bodies. And it’s quite remarkable to witness how little most people know about their own bodies. I believe one can’t understand what detoxifying the body means without a full understanding of how the body works. So, let’s start there.

In this recent post, I mentioned that the human body has a built-in, seven-piece detoxification system. Each piece, or “channel,” of this detoxification system acts as a sewer for the body. It is crucial that these channels remain open, as our bodies use each ones to dispose of things it does not want or need. However, when we do not take good care of ourselves, sometimes these channels can become overloaded, thereby resulting in chronic illness – anything from acne to cancer. Below is a list of the seven channels of elimination and what you can do to support each channel.

1. SKIN

Put only on your skin that which you would eat.

Choose herbal deodorants instead of antiperspirants. Antiperspirants inhibit sweating, which is a natural and important mechanism our body uses to detoxify itself.

2. LIVER

Considering that your liver is the primary organ designed for filtering toxins out of your body, become conscious of your exposure to environmental toxins such as car exhaust, chemical fumes, radiation, and strong chemical household products. Limit this exposure. Also limit substances that burden the liver such as alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, water contaminants, preservatives, heavy metals, and dyes.

Liver flushes! I recommend the protocol designed by Andreas Moritz, found in this book.

Castor oil packs.

3. LUNGS

Practice deep breathing twice daily. If you have a meditation or yoga practice, it is easy to incorporate this in that. If not, a convenient time would be before rising in the morning and falling asleep in the evening. How do you breathe deeply? Place one hand on your lower abdomen and the other on your chest. As you inhale, the lower hand should rise, followed by the hand on your chest. As you exhale, the upper then lower lungs should fall as they empty the air.

Aerobic exercise. Personally, I don’t believe in going to the gym. I do believe in experiencing the magic of your body as you do something fun or meditative, be it walking, hiking, biking, swimming, dance, or yoga! All you need is 20-45 minutes a few times a week.

4. KIDNEYS

Drink at least six glasses of good quality water daily, preferably spring water or reverse osmosis. For those looking to get really serious about the water they’re drinking and bathing in, I recommend looking into “structured water.”

Supplement with a good quality kidney supplement. I recommend this one. It features: Organic Juniper Berry‚ Parsley Root‚ Organic & Wildcrafted Marshmallow Root‚ Wildcrafted Goldenseal Root‚ Organic Uva Ursi Leaf‚ Wildcrafted Lobelia herb‚ & Organic Ginger Root. All of these herbs detox and support even the most damaged of kidneys.

Squeeze lemon juice into your water. Lemon, though acidic, alkalizes the body and cleans out many organs, including the kidneys.

Eat watermelon! The best kidney-cleansing food!

5. BOWEL/COLON

Eat veggies and fruits daily to keep food moving through the gut by providing live enzymes and fiber.

Limit intake of highly processed foods, which can cause constipation and thereby add to the body’s toxic load.

Eat probiotics and fermented foods. The microbiology environment in your gut is the foundation of your health – affecting everything from your immune system to your brain!

Use Colosan; A non-addictive, natural magnesium supplement to “get things moving” as necessary.

Finish a hot shower with a cold water rinse. This stimulates the central nervous system, thereby increasing lymphatic flow.

Practice regular 5 minute lymphatic massage to help pump the lymphatics and improve drainage of the entire system.

7. STRESS REDUCTION/EMOTIONAL HEALTH

Often overlooked, this avenue is one of the most important channels to keep our bodies healthy. Emotions that are buried and unacknowledged often end up manifesting as disease in the body, so it is crucial that we never sweep those emotions that feel bad under the rug. However, if you’re a member of the human race, then you probably can’t help but do this from time to time. It’s OK! There are plenty of things you can do to help release those old emotions and stressors from the body.

Take 15 minutes to one hour daily to be still. There are plenty of meditation methods to try. Experiment until you find one that feels right to you.

The Emotional Freedom Technique. This practice incorporates pressure points to access emotions in a way that allows you to healthfully release them. I’m a huge fan of EFT.

Good, old-fashioned therapy. Personally, I wish everyone in the world had a therapist. Including therapists, themselves.

Spend some time in nature. Whether you consciously enjoy being out in nature or you couldn’t care less, there is something about being with nature that automatically relaxes and resets us.

Now What?

Don’t think you need to be doing ALL of these things listed above ALL the time. That would be madness. However, many of them are easily-accomplished lifestyle changes. The rest? Pick and choose. Figure out with your own naturopathic doctor what your body seems to struggle with. For me, I know that my lymph system seems to be very easily impaired, so I often focus on that. I have also become quite adept at sensing when one of these channels goes out of whack. I can tell how my liver is doing based on how I digest my food, and how my kidneys are based on occasional lower back pain. As you pay closer attention to your body, you’ll become more and more in tune with it.

You may have noticed this, but I covered a whole lot of ground in this post. Are you overwhelmed? Don’t be. I’m hoping this post will serve as a sort of index for many future posts. I could easily write an entire post on each bullet point above, and that’s exactly what I plan to do. So, stay tuned! In the meantime: Thoughts? Wishes? Dreams? Type ‘em up and post ‘em in the comment section below.

I don’t know if this is true everywhere in the US or only in The Big Apple, but three weeks ago, there were no mosquitos. And then, as if by some evil, overnight magic, mosquitos happened. But like… one trillion mosquitos happened. I spend one hour in the park as a complete human and leave as dinner leftovers; the mosquito version of picked-at chicken parmesan wrapped up in a tin foil swan. That’s me. I come home to my apartment – in which the windows are always closed – to find two mosquitos buzzing by my ears and haunting me like microscopic, vampire ghosts. HOW DID THEY GET IN THERE, THOUGH?! Evil magic.

Here’s the rub: I refuse to use commercial products that contain poisonous chemicals such as DEET. What’s the problem with DEET? Check out this disturbing nugget of science. Also, according to Green Your Body:

DEET has been linked to neurological problems; according to the EPA, at least 18 different cases of children suffering adverse neurological effects, as well as the deaths of two adults, have been associated with DEET. Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have found that DEET causes diffuse brain cell death and behavioral changes in rats.

DEET has been shown to have a negative impact on wildlife and water sources in production and during use. DEET is toxic to birds and aquatic life. DEET has been found in approximately 75 percent of U.S. water sources, including the Mississippi River.

Not cool, DEET. Not cool. Thank Zeus for essential oils. Extracted through careful steam distillation and cold pressing, the purest essential oils are astonishingly more potent and effective than dry herbs, delivering quick and effective results. Essential oils can be diffused, applied externally, or taken internally.

The following recipe takes only a few minutes to whip up, and it would beat DEET in a fight any day of the week. Not to mention, it doubles as perfume/cologne and has positive effects on psychological/emotional health. Yes, essential oils can do magical things to your brain!

Homemade & Healthy Insect Repellant Recipe

What you’ll need:

1 amber glass mist spray bottle (you choose the size!) *This is crucial because glass is safest for storing essential oils. Essential oils are known to eat away plastic, and the plastic can also substantially harm their effectiveness. The amber color is important because most essential oils (some more than others) are sensitive to light.

12-15 drops total of Young Living‘s* Purification Essential Oil Blend OR a homemade mixture of any/all of the following: citronella, lavender, clove, cinnamon, eucalyptus, peppermint, lemongrass.

Directions:

Mix water, astringent, and combination of essential oils in the amber glass bottle and shake well. Apply evenly to skin and/or clothing. The more drops you use, the stronger the solution will be. Experiment as you wish. Store your repellant in a cool, dry place.

Caution:

1) Be sure to use only therapeutic grade essential oils. Grade B or C oils can actually be harmful. I am a member of Young Living because it’s just the best and I like getting discounts on the best. I highly recommend Young Living because it is – based on my research – the purest, most trusted quality of essential oils in existence. Plus, their blends are outlandishly wonderful (like Purification!). For more information about getting the best essential oils at a discounted price via Young Living, see the asterisk below.

2) Do not use citrus-based essential oils (e.g. lemon, orange, etc.) in this recipe because such oils are highly photosensitive. Such oils can still be beneficial for warding off pests. Having essential oils IN your body is an effective addition to having them ON your body. How do you do this? Massage a few drops on the soles of your feet (dilution isn’t as necessary because the skin is very thick here).

3) If you have a serious health condition, check with your doctor if there are any essential oils you should avoid. For example, rosemary essential oil is a proven neurotoxin for those with epilepsy.

4) Use common sense. When applying to the skin, some essential oils require dilution and others are safely applied full strength. Always do some research and a skin patch test before you apply any oil to the skin directly. Learn more about dilution and usage here.

Enjoy living mosquito-bite-free!

*About Young Living

You can purchase Young Living therapeutic-grade essential oils in one of two ways: as a Wholesale Member (best option) or Retail Customer via the Young Living website. I highly recommend buying Young Living essential oils by joining as a wholesale member because you get more for your money. Wholesale Members get a whopping 24% discount off every product that is offered FOREVER. Wholesale Members also have the option of becoming Independent Distributors, meaning they have the option of sharing the oils with friends and family to earn commissions and potentially win promotions for free oils. This is not a requirement, but the beauty of signing up as a wholesale member is that you would always have it as an option. And it is absolutely fine if you never end up distributing. As a Young Living Wholesale Member you only have to agree to order a minimum of $50 per year. Just signing up and purchasing your starter kit, completes your minimum requirement for the entire first year!

How-To:

3. The “Enroller ID” and “Sponsor ID” boxes should already be auto-filled for you. (If for some reason it is not, enter 1427918 in both boxes)

4. Fill out your name, billing address, shipping address, and contact information. (You are asked for your social security number simply for tax purposes. As required by law, you receive a 1099 form in the mail if you end up making over $600/year selling Young Living products. This information is kept secure and never shared.)

5. Create your password and pin which will enable you to log in to your account and order your oils.

6. Select your enrollment order. This is where you can specify which starter kit you would like (The Premium Starter Kit is worth over $300, but as a Wholesale Member you get it for 50% off!). You must sign up with one of these kits to become a Wholesale Member. You can also add anything else you wish to your order at this time.

7. Set up your optional Essential Rewards Program. This is NOT a requirement to sign up as a Wholesale Member. You can skip this step by selecting “No, thank you. I plan on enrolling in the Essential Rewards Program later” in case you’d like to start earning money back to help pay for your oils at some point in the future.

8. Agree to Terms & Conditions.

9.Be sure to CONFIRM YOUR ORDER. If you don’t do this, you won’t get your oils!

One of the many experiences unique to living in New York City is being approached by trendy men who just happen to randomly have a question for you about your spa-frequenting habits or hair-styling preferences. You can’t spot them because they’re never holding postcards, flyers, or anything of the like; they’re never wearing a uniform of any sort; and they rarely stand right in front of the spa or salon for which they work. They’re like… Retired ninjas. Or ninjas who failed ninja school so they’re doing this instead. They’ll initiate a conversation by asking me a question like, “are you interested in trying skin care product X at Spa Y for a fraction of the regular price?” And I respond with something like, “Can I EAT skin care product X?” That throws them off a bit because I doubt the sales script prepared them for a such a ridiculous question. But when it comes to skin care, that is always my number one concern. Do you know the brilliant SNL sketch to which the title of this post refers? Substitute “skin care product and a snack” for “floor wax and a dessert topping,” and you can consider that sketch a scene from my actual life. Or at the very least, an infomercial from my actual brain.

Most people make the mistake of considering skin to be a sort of protective sack that houses all of their organs. That word choice was gross. Apologies. The truth is that the skin, itself, is an organ. In fact, it is the biggest organ that we have. And it’s a pretty miraculous one at that. Since the skin is porous, it absorbs a large percentage of everything that we put on it. Don’t believe me? Try cutting a clove of garlic in half and rubbing it on the sole of your foot. You may be among the many people – like me – who end up tasting that garlic within seconds. If that’s too hippy-dippy for you, consider how transdermal medication works. Most common transdermal medications are nicotine patches and birth control patches. Each do their job as efficiently as if taking that medication by mouth.

Looking for the cold, hard facts? The American Journal of Public Health published a study that examined the skin’s absorption rates of chemicals found in tap water. Results revealed that the skin absorbed an average of 64% of total contaminant dosage.¹ If that study considers merely water that splashes on our skin as we wash, think what we must be absorbing when we actively rub a cocktail of carcinogens, chemicals, and irritants into our skin until fully absorbed… ON PURPOSE. And yes, most mainstream cosmetic products are, indeed, a cocktail of carcinogens, chemicals, and irritants. It doesn’t help that absorption rates for the skin on the face and scalp are 5-10 times higher than on other parts of the body,² which is why considering the ingredients in our cosmetics is crucial. If you’re curious to learn more about common cosmetic ingredients, from what they’re derived, and their overall toxicity rating, I highly suggest downloading the app: ChemicalMaze.

I, among many, believe that most modern chronic illnesses are a direct result of the body’s inability to adequately dispose of the constant input of toxins via cosmetics, environment, air, food, and water. The body disposes of toxins through six systems of elimination:

Skin

Lungs

Liver

Bowel/Colon

Kidneys

Lymphatics

If these systems become overloaded, we are left with a toxic build-up that usually manifests itself via disease. In my own experience, that disease was predominantly severe acne. The skin, being the only one of these elimination systems we wear on the outsides of our bodies, is the only one that provides indications and clues of body toxicity that we can see with our eyes. Blatantly rubbing toxic ingredients on this organ of elimination sort of defeats the purpose of it being an elimination system in the first place, no?

How Do You Replace Commercial Cosmetics with Natural Alternatives?

It’s a journey. But I can be your natural beauty spirit guide on that journey for many, many posts to come. Today, let’s start with a simple substitute for facial cleanser. I’ve tried a TON of natural facial cleansers over the last few years. None have been as wonderful for me as what I’m about to share with you. Of course, we are all unique, perfect snowflakes, so keep in mind what works for me may not work as well for you. Nonetheless, I know of enough people who share my enthusiasm about this regimen to make me think we must be on to something here.

Are you read for this? Get a pencil. Here it is:

Raw honey and hemp seed oil.

O, wait. You probably didn’t need a pencil since THAT IS THE MOST SIMPLE THING YOU’VE PROBABLY EVER HEARD OF WASHING YOUR FACE WITH.

Benefits of Raw Honey:

Raw honey has been used by humans for 10,000 years, playing a vital role in health, healing, religious and cultural traditions.

Raw honey gently removes dirt and impurities from the skin without stripping the skin of its natural oils. Mainstream cleansers often to strip the skin of its natural oil (sebum), which leads to the overproduction of sebum.

It’s antimicrobial and anti-viral. The National Institutes of Health published research proving that the application of raw honey to an infected wound can reduce redness and swelling. Raw honey can even reduce the overall time needed to heal from a bacterial infection, making it comparable to antibiotics.³ Raw honey is also anti-fungal and is known to aid in fungal infections such as candida.

When mixed with water, raw honey releases a natural peroxide that aids in bacterial skin issues such as acne. It also contains gluconic acid, a mild alpha hydroxy acid that brightens the complexion, evens out skin tone, and lightens scars, age spots, and sun discolorations.

Raw honey has a pH level of 4.5, which falls within the skin’s natural pH range. Many commercial products end up changing the pH of our skin, which makes our natural skin barrier much more easily penetrable by the bacteria and pollution we encounter during the day.

It is so gentle and nourishing, it is perfect for sensitive skin, mature skin, dull skin, and aids in those struggling with acne, enlarged pores, rosacea, eczema, hyperpigmentation.

It must be RAW. Unfiltered and unprocessed works, too. “Natural” means absolutely nothing. Raw honey is a completely different substance than processed honey. Once heated, honey loses all its natural vitamins, enzymes, probiotics, phytonutrients, and pH level. Go for only raw honey!

Now, what about hemp seed oil? The ever-wise Fran, of High On Clear Skin, introduced me to the miracle that is hemp seed oil. Just be sure it’s raw, unrefined, cold-pressed, and keep it refrigerated!

Benefits of Hemp Seed Oil:

Hemp seed oil has a comedogenic rating of 0, which means there is no chance of it clogging your pores. This may sound counter-intuitive because we’ve been conditioned as a society to believe that oil is evil internally and externally, but that is a dangerous myth. Healthy oils are essential to having healthy skin and healthy bodies.

Hemp seed oil actually helps to balance out excess oil in the skin. The sebaceous glands in our skin normally produce sebum with linoleic acid. However, when linoleic acid is not available to the skin, the glands resort to using oleic acid, which is thicker than healthy sebum. It is then easier for this thicker sebum to become stuck in the skin and form blackheads and whiteheads. Synchronously, hemp seed oil happens to contain a perfect ratio of EFAs, as well as being a whopping 57% linoleic acid, which aids our bodies in producing healthy sebum and balancing out our oil production.

It is anti-inflammatory and reduces redness. This fascinates me as an artist because the color of hemp seed oil is beautifully bright green, and green sits perfectly opposite of red on the color wheel. :)

The EFAs in hemp seed oil help maintain epidermal lipids, the skin’s water barrier, elasticity and softness.

The EFAs in hemp seed oil also contain anti-oxidants which protect the skin from free radicals, thereby having an anti-aging effect.

3. Massage an equal amount of raw honey into your skin, on top of the hemp seed oil.

4. Wash off with warm water (not hot!). I wash using my hands only when I didn’t wear make-up that day. I use a washcloth gently on days that I did wear make-up to be sure I remove all of it.

What About Ready-Made Products That I DO Buy?

Most of the time, my cosmetic products are one-man-shows, like those listed above. And obviously, when I say “man,” I mean, “ingredient.” However, I also recognize the magic in combining simple, natural ingredients, and being left with a truly outstanding elixir housing a variety of benefits. For such times, I either turn into a magical cosmetic shaman and whip up my own concoctions, or I visit the online shop: Living Earth Beauty. Alicia, the lovely creator of Living Earth Beauty, happens to only stock products that abide by my creed:

Put on your skin only that which you can eat.

All of the companies featured on Living Earth Beauty use only organic, raw, edibly-safe ingredients in their products, and the results are remarkable. I plan on doing future posts on some of these products, as they have greatly aided me in my quest for holistically healing my skin and my self esteem over the years. But for now, I leave you with the superhero duo: Raw Honey and Hemp Seed Oil. Your face will be… uh… crime-free in no time?

Footnotes

1. Brown et al. The role of skin absorption as a route of exposure for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in drinking water. Am J Public Health. 1984 May; 74(5): 479–484.

2. Hotchkiss, S. 1994. How thin is your skin?: Skin seemed like such a good way of keeping the outside world at bay until toxicologists started to worry about the harmful chemicals that breach the barrier. New Scientist.

Hello Palate Peace-Seekers! Seek no further; The Palate Peacemaker has returned for good from a long hiatus in which more of this happened. Healing. Working on myself. Uncovering the lost bits and pieces. Embracing the new and letting go of the old. Basically: learning the things we’re on this earth to learn. That old chestnut. No big deal.

Having been in dire need of physical, mental, and emotional healing over the last few years, I must admit that I haven’t felt deserving of this soap box (a.k.a. The Palate Peacemaker). What right did I – someone struggling in my own search for Peace – have to speak on emotional, physical, or mental peacemaking… let alone offer advice on such things? Reflecting on this lately, a lightbulb unexpectedly switched on:

Dear readers, while on this earth, I will never reach a place where I have it all figured out.

Neither will you. No one has it all figured out – no matter their degree, badge, or indicative headpiece. That’s why we’re all here. And if or when we do figure it all out, we’ll have no need of being here anymore. Nonetheless, we acquire Peace bit by bit on our journeys as we spiritually grow and evolve. The Universe continually presents us with opportunities to learn the lessons we’ve set out to learn in this particular lifetime, and it’s up to us to gain self-awareness and adjust, or stay right where we are.

So far, my 2014 has been a year devoted to falling back in love with living. I’ve resurrected the parts of Desi that I’ve missed, and somehow beautifully woven them with the parts of Desi I’ve gained. And for the first time in a long time, I feel somewhat whole again. I feel capable. And I feel deeply compelled to help others who’ve embarked on paths similar to my own: one of living harmoniously. Living harmoniously with nature. Living harmoniously with our fellow beings. Living harmoniously with our obstacles.

I may not have it all figured out, but that shouldn’t be the point of a blog. You are here to teach me just as much as I am here to teach you. I’ve always intended The Palate Peacemaker to serve as a platform for honest discussion, the exchange of ideas, and most importantly, human connection. One cannot “figure it all out” in a vacuum. It defeats the purpose of being on this earth together. I want to continue growing, evolving, and “figuring it all out” with you. And as a passionate independent researcher for 5+ years and seasoned member of the human race, I do happen to house a treasure trove of knowledge… so learning something here might just be a bonus… Like – for example – the recipe for the most incredible gluten-free pancakes you’ll ever eat.

Gluten-Free Pancakes

Dearest Palate Peace-Seekers, I know we all have different needs when it comes to pancakes. Having tried all the stock gluten-free mixes and a variety of homemade recipes, I have searched high and low for the winning gluten-free pancake. This one – courtesy of my mother – is my personal favorite. The flavor is divine and the texture is ideal. How do you like your pancakes? Leave me a comment below!

1 1/4 cups GF flour mix*

2T unrefined sugar of your choice

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1⁄4 teaspoon of salt

1⁄2 cup of plain goat yogurt (or plain yogurt of your choice)

1⁄2 cup of goat milk + 1 T white vinegar (or milk of your choice)

2T melted unrefined coconut oil

1 large egg

1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla

Optional: 1 apple – shredded coarsely on cheese grater (The pancakes you see in the photos are apple because they’re my favorite! You may substitute, blueberries, raspberries or your favorite fruit instead of apples.)

Amen, Krishnamurti. This society is exactly that: profoundly sick – and in more ways than one. However, chances are that if you follow food blogs and if my last post resonated with you, then you probably fall into the camp that is making an honest effort to “be healthy,” but you’ve bought into fundamental belief structures the medical community and media have fed us about obesity and health that are simply untrue and incredibly dangerous. All that “calories in and calories out” poppycock. And that a diet – whether it’s calorie restrictive like Weight Watchers or food-type restrictive like Paleo – will combat “obesity” (Nope. The rise of dieting paralleling the rise of obesity is no coincidence, my friend). The truth is this: There are far too many myths out there parading as facts. We need Gilderoy Lockhart up in here to wipe our minds clean with his signature memory charm… ‘Cause 60 or so years of conditioning is proving seriously difficult to overwrite.

Sure, there are plenty of people who can’t afford to live on anything but fast food and maybe their bodies are not as happy as they could be. There is a great deal of literature floating around on blogs and on YouTube and in doctors’ offices pointing out the hazards of such lifestyles. Yes, I think we all know that human beings do need fresh food to really thrive. But there is nowhere near enough about the other end of the spectrum. Why are we so quick to assume that if one extreme is causing problems, the other extreme must be ideal? How did we become so drastically out of touch with balance? Most people don’t realize that there even IS another end of the spectrum that is equally unhealthy and just as big a problem. And sadly, the worst offenders are doctors and authority figures in the media because they deeply influence American society. Orthorexia is real. Eating disorders are everywhere. A good deal of the population is paralyzed with fear regarding what to eat and how to care for themselves, and it’s doing more harm than good. Ironically, dieting and overexercise more than often lead to exactly what we’re told they’ll protect us from: obesity and dysfunctional, burnt-out bodies. Being attractive by today’s standards is actually often a sign of poor health because being thinner than one’s set point means infertility, risk of sudden heart attack, damaged joints, chronic inflammation, raised cortisol, suppressed immune system, frequent colds and infections, early onset of arthritis, asthma, autoimmune diseases, and lost sex drive. When I speak of balance, I refer to a happy place between thinking food choices play no part in your state of health and thinking food choices completely determine your state of health. Neither extreme will make a person happy or whole.

In my somewhat epic last post, I questioned what qualifies as an unhealthy relationship with food, I challenged you to be the authority on you, and I told you a bit about my own treacherous journey over the last few years. What is my advice to you? Eat what makes you feel best, and be honest about that. When I determine that for myself, it sometimes very well may be organic produce. Because it tastes really good and it makes me feel really good. Other times, it very well may be the richest chocolate chip cookie I can find. Because it tastes really good and it makes me feel really good. We are not static beings. In fact, nothing in this world is static. We change constantly. And this “all or nothing” attitude towards how we nourish ourselves is extremely damaging. I know it is often really difficult to take a step back and get back in touch with what you want to eat after you’ve spent so long eating what you think you should. I say: relinquish the guilt and try your best. I believe we always know deep down when we’re lying to ourselves. If you’re having trouble deciding if you want something or not, ask yourself, “what would I choose if I were fearless?”

For me, the balance is in making sure that these food choices do not define who I am, that I don’t spend too much of my time thinking about food, that I don’t obsess or fret or fear, that my preferences are honestly based in what I enjoy, and that they remain NOTHING MORE THAN PREFERENCES. They are not rules. I have no rules. In a hazelnut shell, that is the line between healthy, happy Desi and unhealthy, sad Desi. Over the last year, I’ve been eating everything apart from the foods affected by my autoimmune intolerances: gluten and certain dairy products. Other than that, I admit I do tend to eat foods my great grandmother would recognize as food, unless I have a craving for something else. I’d have to have a non-existent learning curve to deny that this makes both my skin and taste buds happier. When I have the choice, I honor this preference simply because every time I spend money on food, I’m casting a vote. It’s a responsibility that I don’t take lightly. After all, it is votes like mine that will eventually eradicate GMOs, antibiotic and hormone usage, pesticides (all of which are damaging the environment and many believe are reliable recipes for global famine), and re-establish organic food (which ironically is what has been “conventional” food since the dawn of time) as available for even the poorest of Americans. Organic food is both a God given right for all humans and animals alike, as it is a kindness to our environment. Still, I don’t let my mere lack of enthusiasm for the alternative be a source of anxiety or fear in my life. If someone is kind enough to have me over to cook me a meal, I won’t turn it away for fear it might contain an ingredient of which I’m not a fan! Think how isolated I would be! How many doors would close! How small life would become! To me, Love is as important in the preparation and consumption of food as whether or not it is, say, GMO-free. And that love and joy that comes from partaking in a social and communal activity far outweighs the imagined benefits of eating in fear, disconnected from our brothers and sisters. The biggest difference between the current Desi and the Desi from two years ago: The choices I make regarding anything come from a place of Love rather than Fear. I don’t need people to agree with me or understand me. I feel at ease and at peace with everything as it is in this moment, although I recognize that the world can still change for the better and I plan to play my part in that. What frustrates me the most as I gush to you in this post is that I don’t know how exactly to advise you to reach this place of fearlessness and ease – whether we’re talking about your relationship with food, your health, your body, your job, your relationship, you name it. Why? It’s different for everyone and only you can honestly determine when Fear is no longer influencing your decisions.

Will my recent revolution affect The Palate Peacemaker? Yes, but not as you might think. As you know, my blog hasn’t really delved into many disordered belief systems since it consists primarily of personal anecdotes married with yummy recipes. This show will go on. However, it is going to expand. The Palate Peacemaker has been a haven for me to serve my health and my life after I was diagnosed with food intolerances. I used to believe that meant only considering my food choices. Now, I realize that flourishing health and fulfillment in life is a much more complicated recipe than I’d originally imagined. Food is a very yummy component, but too many people (myself included) have placed far too much value on diet alone. Balance and happiness in life come from caring for ourselves as a whole – not as disjointed fragments. Our emotions, our thoughts, our belief systems, fresh air, sunshine, laughter, our personal power in providing for and healing ourselves are all key players. I often feel like a pioneer in a modern city, and it is beyond empowering for me. I’ve moved away from conventional modalities of body care, mental care, and environmental care, and I feel like I have the best of both worlds: the wisdom of our ancestors plus the ever-evolving technologies of today. The Palate Peacemaker will no longer be geared to only the food-intolerant few who are desperate to make peace with their palates. Rather, it is for anyone who feels at war with their physical, emotional, psychological or spiritual palates in any way whatsoever. This blog is about Peace: finding it, harnessing it, growing with it, spreading it in every way possible.

I’ll leave you now just as I found you, with this:

“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”-Jiddu Krishnamurti

If you’re aiming to be well adjusted to this profoundly sick society, then this blog is not the place for you. If I lose you as a reader, no hard feelings. I wish you peace. For those of you still here, I will continue creating in the kitchen and sharing those creations with all of you, in addition to everything else I have learned about health and happiness in my life. I am so grateful and excited to connect with you.

Delilah’s nose began twitching so much when this came out of the oven that I began calling her “Bewitched.”

I had a hankering for my curried lamb shepherd’s pie last Wednesday. After finding the original post in my recipe archive, I looked over the ingredients and found myself severely disappointed. They seemed to be lacking. In everything; Amount, depth, taste, fat. I immediately grabbed a pen and began erasing, recalculating, recording, and repeating. By the time the egg timer was sounding its alarm, my oven had birthed a curried lamb shepherd’s pie quite unlike its older brother. My original recipe has now been revamped – and in the very same way that I’ve been revamping Desi, no less. More amount. More depth. More fat. I’ve needed it. Over the last year, you might have noticed that my blog posts have been few and far between. My absence was due to looking over myself; erasing, recalculating, recording, and repeating.

When you have unexpected health problems, and you want to cure them naturally, it usually means making lifestyle changes. I fully support this. Unfortunately, there are many people like me who are going to over-dedicate themselves to this challenge, thereby sacrificing a certain balance that is CRUCIAL for good health. I learned this the hard way. After being diagnosed with serious intolerances to gluten, dairy, and eggs, I laughed. I’d spent my entire life as a human vacuum specifically designed to dispose of gluten, dairy, and eggs. I eliminated gluten, dairy, and eggs, but I didn’t stop there. Eliminating these foods made the daily headaches I grew up with never return. Eliminating these foods cured my lifetime affliction of poor digestion. I figured, with some twisted logic, that if eliminating these foods made me better, eliminating more would make me best. When I found myself facing highly-distressing skin problems two years ago, a doctor advised me to cut out even more foods – entire food groups, in fact. “Carbohydrates? Eh… Just a macronutrient you don’t really need.” I figured there was some perfect way to eat and I didn’t know what it was. I figured once I found out, I would never suffer from health issues ever again. Consequently, I have lived in extremes over the last few years. I’ve been vegan, raw vegan, sugars/fruit-free, low-carb, low-fat, anti-candida, SCD (which is very similar to GAPS, Paleo, Primal), calorie restrictive, and some at the same time. What I have learned is that the cons of any restrictive diet – no matter how slight – far outweigh any benefits. With all of these diets, I (and many others) found that there is certainly a “honeymoon” period, in which you feel better and you’re convinced this diet is turning your life around. But once that period ends however many months or one year later, the repercussions begin setting in. My body withered 10 to 15 pounds lighter, which on an already small person is quite a lot. I had adrenal fatigue. I was hypothyroid. My hormone levels mimicked those of a woman post-menopause. My digestion was awful. I was constantly racked with fear and anxiety. Many people told me I looked “great.” My doctor told me I was fine: “You’re not clinically underweight.” She didn’t think to consider eating more food and more variety would fix all these problems, which it ultimately did. It wasn’t the 20+ supplements I’d been taking for a year. I knew better. Of course, I can speak for only me… and the countless other individuals who are desperate to recover from innocent diet attempts to better themselves.

What changed, you ask? I’m a pretty darn self-aware lady, if I do say so myself. And although I am grateful for that self-awareness, I occasionally covet others’ ignorance. Isn’t it easier sometimes to simply be incapable of seeing your flaws, your battles, and what you resist? When you have the awareness, you are always staring a choice in the face: to sit uncomfortably with whatever aspect of yourself that longs for a makeover or to be brave and act on it! And when you have the awareness, you also have no excuse. Awareness propels you into change. It’s usually extremely scary. It’s usually extremely painful. I call it the growing pains of spiritual puberty. Lucky for us, spiritual puberty can visit us many times throughout our lives. This particular case began for me one year ago when I started asking questions. The type of questions a part of you doesn’t want to even ask. The kind of questions Awareness voices quietly in some corner of your brain that you usually ignore or dismiss with some defensive regurgitation of excuses.

Desi, is this doctor’s regimen hurting you more than it is helping you? The human diet is incredibly adaptable and there’s simply no reason to demonize perfectly good foods like fruit, rice, potatoes, beans (etc.), all of which have been part of the human diet for thousands of years and have played key roles in our evolutionary development.

Do you really believe you need to exercise religiously for the rest of your life in order to be “healthy?” The concept of “organized exercise” is relatively a new-born against the span of human history, as is “obesity.”

Will you live the rest of your life fearing that different foods could worsen your symptoms? Couldn’t the fear itself be creating the problems in the first place?

Why are you so quick to place all your trust in whatever MD, ND, or alternative health professional you see? Why do you invest your fate into a Google Results page? And the worst of all: Why do you give away your power so easily?

Of course, I can speak for only myself… but that’s the very beauty of what it’s taken me 26 years to learn. The Disney movies actually were right: The answers that I need might actually all be inside myself. I, Desi, might actually be the best authority on Desi. Perhaps I know deep down – only beyond ego and fear and denial – better than any doctor, any blog, any professional, any loved one – what the state of my physical, emotional, psychological health is, and how to remedy it if necessary. My beliefs might be unconventional, but that doesn’t make them wrong. What if “conventional” is wrong? What if “conventional” is nothing more than a challenge for each one of us to overcome in order to reveal our own Truth?

Most people would not think of my experience as an eating disorder (let alone a reason for concern), and I think that is one of the greatest problems our society faces. Because no matter how you label it, it is undoubtedly an issue that is causing far more physical and psychological suffering than most people even care to acknowledge. I would venture to say it is an issue that an alarmingly high and exponentially growing percentage of our society faces. In my book, if there is ANY form of fear involved when it comes to your relationship with food or if you feel like a slave to your relationship with food or exercise, then I would call that an eating disorder. I was never clinically underweight. I was never diagnosed with anorexia, bulimia, or orthorexia. But that had no bearing on whether or not I had a healthy relationship with food. Just because you may not be obviously anorexic does not mean you are not disordered. The sad truth is that the anorexics and bulimics make up only the tip of the iceberg. I see eating disorders everywhere I look, usually disguised as dieting or simply “being health conscious.” I see them in some of my closest friends and family members. I see them in complete strangers eating (or not eating) at the table next to me. I see them in the calorie counters, the gluten-intolerant pretenders, the followers of trendy new diet X. And sadly, I see the food blogosphere riddled with them.

I have always loved food. I’m Italian. But there was a distinct shift in my life when my love for food turned into an obsession. If this has happened to you, please take note that it’s unlikely that you’ve suddenly discovered your life’s passion. It’s much more likely that this is a symptom of an undernourished, and therefore, improperly working brain. As I mentioned before, most people who looked at me never would have labeled me “unhealthy relationship with food.” In our society, “will power” is admired. Watching what you eat is respected. Listening to my doctor and cutting out entire food groups was supposedly “being healthy.” So, where exactly is the line? When does something become an eating disorder? And is anyone brave enough to identify it as such considering the undeniable stigma we’ve attached to the term? Ironically, I believe most of the U.S. has an extremely disordered relationship with food. Though only one third of the population is genetically predisposed to being on the Restrictive Eating Disorder Spectrum, a whole lot more still flirt with restriction. I believe most people in this country have an inaccurate understanding of what determines a person’s size as well as an unhealthy relationship with food, whether it manifests in starvation, exercise addiction, fad-diet-hopping, yo-yo dieting, restrictive and then reactive eating cycling, or by merely harboring the belief that we, humans, were designed with the responsibility and burden of controlling our weights and our sizes. Guess what? We were not. That is a myth. Each of our bodies was designed with a specific set point in mind, and the more you try to adjust that, the harder your body will fight back to return there – or better yet, keep your weight far above it as a protective measure. Don’t worry, there are more posts on this to come.

For now, I’d like to invite you to try your own hand at self-awareness. How is your relationship with food? Could it be possible that what you’ve always considered to be “normal” is actually not normal at all, but simply the result of being influenced by a dangerously misinformed society?

Is food your friend or merely a cause of stress or fear for you? Below are some less obvious telltale signs of a potentially less-than-stellar relationship with food.

Mental signs:

1) You spend a lot of time feeling like you’re “waiting.” You’re not as present as you once were. In some cases, the moment you finish a meal, you’re already thinking about the next one.

2) You’ve lost interest in things you once loved and replaced them with an interest in cooking or fitness.

3) Your memories are often more marked by the meals or food consumed rather than other details.

4) Even when you’re “full,” you still feel the desire to eat more. You think you’re developing a tendency to “binge.” (You’re wrong. Binge Eating Disorder is a very rare illness and it is not just switched on or off. It is active from birth until death. You’re simply nutrient deficient.)

5) If sometimes you merely wonder if your relationship with food is strange, chances are: it is.

6) You have a sudden interest in “food porn.” You’re suddenly reading food blogs or browsing Pinterest for photos of cupcakes.

7) You have a collection of “safe foods,” which assuage anxiety and “fear foods,” which encourage anxiety.

8) You have a strict exercise schedule and it causes you anxiety to stray away from it.

9) You have an emotionally violent response to this blog post. If I read it two years ago, I certainly would have.

Physical signs:

1) If you’re a woman, your period has disappeared or is irregular. Even if you’re far from being clinically underweight.

2) Your body temperature is usually below 98.6 and/or you often feel cold when others are not.

3) Your skin is looking more aged. Your hair is thinning. Even if you’re in your early 20s. Even if you’re the only one who notices.

6) You know you eat under 2,300 calories a day. Don’t believe you need at least that much? Perfectly healthy people physically and mentally deteriorated on 1,600 calories a day during the Minnesota Starvation Experiment (more than most calorie-restrictive diet programs that exist today!).

If even one single statement from each list applied to you (a total of two), that’s enough to seriously ask yourself: “How is my relationship with food?” Dig around on 180 Degree Health or Your Eatopia to see how many people struggled with a variety of issues that simply evaporated by “eating the food,” as Matt Stone would say. It blows my mind how common it is for a person to spend years trying medications, seeing doctors, or settling for less-than-ideal physical or emotional health when most, if not all, their problems would be fixed by simply eating more food. I’ve never heard a doctor say, “Eat more.” I want to change that. I want to hear them say, “Mend your relationship with food, and thereby mend yourself.”

Lastly, if anything in my story resonated with you, consider this possibility:

You are the authority on you.

Stop googling. Stop placing your hope in diet after diet, whether you have unresolved health problems or simply a poor body image. Unless what they’re saying resonates with you beyond logic and reason (in other words: IN YOUR SOUL), stop giving your power away to professionals who claim to “know” or to random strangers on the internet. Including me. However, if you’re curious about my philosophy and you want more details, keep an eye out for my next post. If I’d said everything I wanted to say in this one, you’d be reading a novel right now. In the meantime, have some pie.

I’ve joined the No ‘Poo movement. Not that kind of no poo movement. That’s called constipation, friends. Right now, I’m talking about The No Shampoo Movement. Why would one quit shampoo? Um, the bigger question is why WOULDN’T one quit shampoo? If you find yourself often saying or thinking any of the following statements, then you’ll have convinced me that no ‘poo = no you.

As I said, if any of these statements is a daily affirmation for you, then I suggest you remain committed to your relationship with that bottle that currently inhabits your shower. That sounded potentially bad… Like I’m encouraging addictive behaviors for people who happen to store some type of alcoholic beverage in their place of bathing. My bad. Don’t do that.

Are you wondering whose golden locks are plastered all over this post? They’re mine… And although they’re an obvious example of bed-head, they’re also an example of no ‘poo hair SEVEN DAYS after washing. Seven. I wanted to show how my hair looks these days at its dirtiest and messiest when I’ve done nothing to it. It wasn’t always this way. How did achieve it? I’ll share with you the wisdom of my people. When I say “my people,” I mean fellow dirty hippies who, ironically, are not so dirty after all.

Step One: Stop using shampoo. Use baking soda and vinegar instead. For your new shampoo, add water to baking soda until it’s a thick goo. Exact measurements aren’t really important, but it’s better to have not enough water than too much. For your new conditioner, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar only (no other type of vinegar) to 1 cup of water. This time, it’s better to have not enough vinegar than too much. Store your new hair beautifiers in your shower.

Wet your hair and focus on massaging your new shampoo into your roots. Let it sit for one minute. Rinse. Pour conditioner onto your ends rather than the roots and rub in. Rinse.

Practice your new hair care method for at least two weeks.

Step Two: Stop using baking soda and vinegar. Use only water instead. You can do this cold turkey or wean yourself off. It’s choose your own adventure here. Just massage your scalp well when you’re in the shower. That’s it. This is the critical phase where your body pushes the reset button and finds balance for your hair. Shampoo strips our hair of its natural oils, so over time your hair becomes accustomed to over-producing sebum.

Don’t use any styling products or ANYTHING on your hair. This is important so that your hair can find balance again.

This phase lasts 4 to 6 weeks. Your hair will be greasier than usual. I probably reached peak greasiness at the end of the first week. I wore it up all the time. No one really noticed. My hair looked dirty but nothing more than that. I stuck it out for the full 6 weeks because I knew my sebum production was pretty off the charts – my hair would be greasy again after 24 hours. I wanted to go the extra mile to ensure that my body would recalibrate properly. Trust me: you may feel a bit yucky during this time, but push through it and you’ll be rewarded.

Brush your hair as often as possible – at least once a day. I would brush my hair really thoroughly before my shower each day. This helps move the sebum down the shaft of the hair to protect it as it is designed to do. Brushing helps keep your hair clean. This is why Jane Austen’s heroines would brush their hair 100 strokes a day in a time when frequent bathing wasn’t exactly popular. Just be sure that you clean your brush a few times per week!

Step Three: Add the baking soda and vinegar back in once per week. You’ve made it through the toughest part and now your hair is soft and lovely. Depending on your hair, you can adjust this weekly use to twice weekly or every ten days if you’d like to instead.

Step Four: Flip your gorgeous locks around like a Victoria’s Secret model and wax poetic about what a total ninja you are by saving money, the environment, and your youthful glow. This applies to men, too. Do it, please.

Troubleshooting:

Hair getting too frizzy? Use less baking soda or don’t leave it on as long.

Hair getting too greasy? Use less vinegar or switch to lemon/lime juice.

Are you dying during the 4-6 week waiting period? Sprinkle a bit of baking soda along your part and comb it through. It will absorb some of the greasiness.

Still need to use hair styling products after this whole ordeal is over? I suggest looking into the most organic and natural products out there. The fewer the ingredients, the better. The more ingredients you recognize, the better. The best option of all would be to google homemade styling product recipes and do it yourself!

Rather than a lovely little anecdote or passionate rant, I have something different for you today:

A video.

Take it as my addition to the popular “S**t ________ Say” movement on YouTube.

Just click on my extremely focused-looking face (below) and then make fun of me to your heart’s content. Side note: I’m playing a character. This isn’t actually how I act. Or sound, for that matter. :)

Also, these cookies are really good. They are the EXACT texture of true shortbread, but they’re a bit lighter and healthy and RAW! :)

I think it’s funny how many people believe that as time moves forward, we are somehow “moving forward” as well. Somehow, we are becoming more civilized, smarter, better. Somehow, a touch screens equal advancement, and skinny jeans with matching legs are worthy of higher merit than what was once considered attractive.

I don’t fall into this belief group. There are things that have changed, and there are things that haven’t. There are signs that show we’ve become a more loving, accepting species, and there are signs that indicate the opposite. How do we even know what life truly was like 200 years ago? 500? 1000? We have clues in the artifacts we find, but they’re no more than that: mere clues. They’re a tiny fraction of a collection of facts that make up a forgotten culture. I think it’s a bit naive of us to assume we know what life was like during a time in which we have not lived. One thousand years from now, people may look back on us, look at our materialistic culture and make assumptions about us. All of us. Large, gaping assumptions based on, say, the underlying messages that our media bombards us with daily. Assumptions that erase the billions of differences between each of us as individuals and reflect only what certain people of certain power have deemed worth remembering. Hey, someone has to write history, and it isn’t God… just usually someone who thinks he is.

I often wonder if, as time goes on, we are wandering further and further away from a part of our humanity that is essential to our survival. Community. There is something incredibly appealing to me about living in a village in which everyone knows one another, everyone plays a role, everyone shares everything. We barter and trade our services and creations. What I want most in my life right now is a sense of community. I want to be a part of something greater than myself. I want to feel a constant flow of love amongst the people around me.

I wonder – if we truly wish to move forward – whether we must move backwards in order to do so. I ask this because it seems to me that there are so many facets of our modern society that do not seem to encourage community. More and more of everything is becoming individualized, from gated property to personal pan pizzas. Ideas of separateness covertly poison our lives by making us believe that there is more power in the words “mine” and “yours” than in “ours,” and that when someone else succeeds it somehow takes away from our own success.

I have this fantasy about twins. Yes, a twin fantasy. Be forewarned… it’s racy.

It unfolds like so: I stroll into a quaint North Carolinian bakery stocked with organic, gluten-free goodies. One bite of a rapture-inducing raw cardamom almond biscotti sends me into a frenzied fervor. Tickled by my outburst of admiration, owners Lori and Michelle ask me to taste test one of their latest creations they have yet to release to their bakery’s public. It’s something too delicious for me even to imagine. I happily agree and we bond over our love for dessert, everything green, skin care, fitness, and the magic of superfoods. They say, “Desi, you are our long lost triplet!” I casually (but happily) respond, “who would have known?!” (When, in fact, I’ve known since the day I discovered their blog.) Then we frolic and make raw dream cakes and lick the batter off of our spatulas and giggle. There’s also some hugging. And maybe friendship-necklace-making.

Not only do they dream up the most yummy recipes, but they write openly and honestly, a credit to their quality of character and their genuine desire to help people take better care of their bodies and well-beings. In the cyber land of Pure2Raw, “pure” describes more than just their recipes and wholesome ingredients. It encompasses their beautiful spirits.

I’ve been addicted to Lori and Michelle’s blog for too long not to celebrate it through my own words and pictures, so I’ve used this month’s Adopt A Gluten-Free Blogger, hosted by Sea at Book of Yum, to whip up one of their little delicacies, document it, and set it on my unsuspecting readers like a tastebud attack of joy. Weapon of choice? Coconut Lemon Bars.

I can confidently guarantee that if you follow their recipe exactly as I did, you may begin entertaining a certain twin fantasy of your own.